Consumer retail products are often packaged in form fitting display packaging referred to as “blister” packaging. This packaging typically includes a clear plastic sheet encapsulating a product so that a consumer can visually inspect the contents of the package. Some blister packaging can be formed as a planar display card adapted to hang from a wire on a display rack.
While conventional display cards function adequately for many consumer products, some consumer products, such as battery powered products, have special packaging needs. For example, those products sold with installed batteries can leave a consumer guessing as to whether the installed batteries are fully charged or “fresh” or whether the useful or “shelf” life of the installed batteries has expired.
A particular packaging challenge arises in the case of retail display packaging for flashlights. That is, consumers not only like to test the condition of the batteries installed in a flashlight, they also like to examine the shape, color and intensity of the beam of light produced by the flashlight. Add to this the retailer's need to prevent consumers from removing the flashlight and any accompanying products (such as extra batteries) from the packaging, and a difficult packaging design challenge results.
When further considering the needs of a retail packaging design, the need to present an interesting eye-catching package design arises. In the case of a retail package for a flashlight, it is also desirable to allow virtually unobstructed access to the on-off switch to facilitate testing by a potential customer. This easy access can serve as an invitation to a customer to try out the flashlight.
In order for a potential customer to obtain a clear view of the light beam produced by a flashlight prior to purchase, it is desirable to avoid any blockage of the light beam due to the presence of any opaque packaging material obstructing the light beam. This adds yet another challenge to the packaging design.
In those cases where a flashlight is provided with a textured or specially contoured portion such as a grooved or checkered central hand grip, it is advantageous to allow for direct tactile access by a consumer. This is particularly the case where the grip portion may be coated or covered with an elastomeric grip sleeve. An open readily accessible grip portion on the flashlight packaging offers further incentive to a potential customer to touch, grip and squeeze the flashlight and test its operation.
While the consumer is invited to try out a flashlight with the packaging features noted above, any additional packaging design feature which attracts the interest of the consumer is beneficial to the retailer. That is, if a package can display a product in an eye-catching configuration, the likelihood of consumer interest and the potential purchase of a product is increased.
The packaging described in detail below has been designed to satisfy the packaging requirements noted above with a clear plastic blister package constructed with a unique manufacturing process for retail packaging of flashlights as well as other retail consumer products.
In the various views of the drawings, like reference numerals designate like or similar parts.